The pharmaceutical industry has been developing for many years medicines for the treatment of viral or bacterial infections such as the common cold, flu, and bronchitis. Natural and synthetic products have been considered as possible candidates for these drugs. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,792, which discloses certain 3-alkoxyflavones reportedly useful in treating mammals having infections caused by the human rhinoviruses, enteroviruses and influenzaviruses. U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,673 discloses that 1,2,3,6-pentagalloylglucose is effective against certain viruses, for example, herpes simplex virus. Wang et al. (CJIM, 2(3), 162-165 (1996)) states that a certain formulation called Shuanghuanglian (SHL) is useful for the treatment of acute respiratory tract infection. Wang et al. merely states that the "recipe of SHL consists of Flos lonicerae, Radix scutellariae and Fructus fosythiae" and fails to provide a teaching that would allow those skilled in the art to prepare SHL.
Although there are many drugs, over the counter as well as prescription, available to the public, there is a continuing need for drugs which are effective against these diseases without causing significant side effects.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.